Increasing breast milk supply...?

Andrea - posted on 04/07/2009
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Trying to build up a supply of milk for when I return to work, but am having a hard time being able to adequately pump more than once a day as my little guy is still nursing every 2 hours (and he's 3 weeks old). Any tips or advice from anyone having more success than I am having?

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Erinn - posted on 04/08/2009

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Try eating oatmeal a couple times a day. I have a very hungry four week old and had trouble keeping up with his needs. Apparently the oats act in the same way hops do if you drink a beer. Within in a couple day I was pumping 10oz. Also if you pump after your little one feeds you can get the hind milk, it's good for comforting baby and draining your milk completely each time can trigger your body to increase your supply. Good luck I hope this helps.

I also have a 3-wk-old and am trying to build up a supply. I've found that pumping after the first feeding in the morning (a real challenge when you can barely see straight!) and right after a few feedings a day for about 15 minutes has worked really well without reducing the milk baby will get in the next feeding. I have a Medela Pump n' Style and being able to pump both sides at the same time is much easier and less time consuming. You may only collect an ounce or two, but you can keep the bottles in the fridge and add to it as you pump until you get a full feeding of about 4-6 oz. It'll take time and you may feel like you're not getting anywhere, but you will. Before you know it you'll have so much milk you won't have enough room to store it! Good luck!

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JoAnne - posted on 01/12/2013

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I read through the varies messages of advise and have to agree with everyones information given. The frequent nursing, drinking additional fluids including more milk and water, and the tablets and tea are wonderful aides. When I was younger and nursing my first of my five babies I was having trouble, my milk seemed too thin and didn't seem to satisfiy my first born and he worked so hard to get full. My pediatrition from the Denver, CO area said that she had 7 children and had nursed them all and had worked a steady schedule as a MD and had drunk a beer every evening at around 4 pm which would do a multitude of things....one - the malt increases the milk supply, two - it does relax both the mother and the babe and three at the late afternoon hour mommies tend to be getting lower blood sugar and have less energy because of an active day and they also need more calories and they need to sit and relax so the milk lets down better, and the evening time is also timely for a bigger supply as you go into the night feeding. I tried the beer only one eve and it immediately gave me the milk I needed. But I was troubled about beer. I don't like it, the yeast made me bloated and I was worried about what it might do to the baby. So I asked my local le leche league (an organization that aided women in successful nursing) and they confirmed what my Dr had said the beer was fine or as an alternative I could use a malted milk shake (that gave me the calories plus the malt to increase the supply) or eat malt -o-meal hot cereal or eat malted milk balls or buy a malt powder and sprinkle it on toast or whatever. It worked --- I nursed my first and the others successfully too. I had happy babies and wonderful memories of nursing and bonding - my children are all grown now and some would wonder why I am writing....it is because now I am a gramma of seven and many of my grown childrens friends seem to share information that they are struggeling and I think may have lost this important information and are losing precious ground with nursing successfully. That makes me sad for those who desire to love their babies in this precious and healthy way. So for me the Dr. that saved my babies and my experience by sharing this information was my hero I felt so desparate and troubled at the time - nusing and being a first time momma is such an emotional time and I hope whoever reads this will find it useful and will bring a lifetime of satisfaction: If they want to nurse they can and their babies will grow, gain weight and be satisfied. But I also wish to add...regardless of our methods to nurish our babies if we are seeking the best route with competant advise and aide our babies will be OK.. Thanks for making this blog topic possible - it releaved my mind to finally get to share this information. Happy mothering everyone!

I'm having the same issue but I've found these sites helpful and there's a bunch of others I haven't had a chance to read yet. I've found though (my lil girl eats every 3-4 hours) that if I pump in between feedings it's slowly starting to increase it too. Though for some babies they eat more frequently so it'd make it harder to do. Also the night time pumping is a big deal too. I noticed I can get 3 oz. off each breast when I pump at night.. whereas during the day I get about 1 oz.

My son was in the NICU for 3 months. I had times where I had low amounts so I asked and was told to try Blessed Thistle and Fenu Greek, they worked well! And pump At least once or twice through the night! Thats when you would produce more! I know its a Pain! I had to pump every 2 hours for a long time without my son around! It's hard but I made it the whole 3 months he was in the NICU!! Pump as often as you can! Its hard but worth it!!